In her first speech to the parliament as NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane has paid tribute to the 15 victims of the terror attack in her own backyard.
Quoting the Talmud, Sloane recited the teaching that whoever destroys a single life is considered to destroy an entire world, and whoever saves a single life, saves an entire world.
“The heroes of Bondi saved countless lives and their actions help put back together our moral world and remind us of the enduring power of good over evil,” Sloane said.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane speaks during a condolence motion on Monday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Sloane ended her speech with a passionate call for more action, telling the parliament that hatred has been allowed to flourish in Sydney since October 7, 2023.
“Appeasement over enforcement has too often been the choices of governments, but also the choices of too many of us, downplaying the fears of the Jewish community,” she said.
“When Jews were told not to go to the Opera House on October 7, when thugs were allowed to denigrate the steps of the Opera House and spew their hatred, we should have known,” she said.
Sloane detailed the harassment of Jewish students, the calls for boycotts of Jewish business, the firebombing of Jewish locations and the celebration of violence by hate preachers in her passionate speech.
“How can we say we’re a country of the fair go when our Jewish community faces such hate – the task for all of us as Australians is to stand up and say, it is all of our jobs to fix this.”